Lysozyme-Modified Copper Phosphate Nanoflowers as Effective Antibacterial Agents for the Inactivation of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris

Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris is a type of contaminating bacteria that can cause the spoilage of juice. To develop a nonthermal control method, lysozyme-modified copper phosphate nanoflowers (Ly@Cu 3 (PO 4 ) 2 NFs) were fabricated. The microstructure and composition of the hybrids were characterized, and the antibacterial performance was further evaluated. Antibacterial results exhibited that Ly@Cu 3 (PO 4 ) 2 NFs possessed effective performance against A. acidoterrestris with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 4.0 μg mL –1 and a minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of 64 μg mL –1, respectively. Besides, Ly@Cu 3 (PO 4 ) 2 NFs destroyed bacterial integrity and caused the leakage of a key intracellular substance. In vitro hemolysis test and in vivo zebrafish toxicity evaluation suggested the hybrids possessed satisfactory biocompatibility. Additionally, the antibacterial performance of Ly@Cu 3 (PO 4 ) 2 NFs in apple juice was investigated, and the impact on juice quality was further evaluated. The aim of this work is to develop a novel nonthermal control method for Alicyclobacillus spp. contamination in the juice industry.